Game table



Sept. 13, 1932.

L. B. M CORMICK GAME TABLE Filed Aug. 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet atcnteol Sept. 13, 1932 NITED STATES PATENT LACY B. MCCORMIlIGK, OF GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR 'IO DANIEL E.

TAYLOR, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA G ME TABLE Application filed August 4, 1931.- Serial No. 555,066.

This invention relates to coin-controlledgame tables adapted for playing games of skill with balls and cues. f v

The game table of my invention comprises an oblong rectangular casing, the upper wall I of which is moderately-inclined to the horizontal and constitutes a game board. Upon the surface of the board, and spaced from its sides and ends, are a group of longitudinally extending ribs, equally spaced apart and forming a plurality of parallel channels. At the upper end of the board, and spaced from the upper ends of the channels, is a curved shoulder against which balls are projected by a cue from a point near the lower end of J the board, and this shoulder directs the-balls over the open ends of the channels, from whence they will roll into the channels, and it the player exercises suificient skill, particular balls may be rolled into particular channels. The channels and the balls are suitably numbered and the score made by the player is computed from these numbers after all of the balls have been played into' the channels. v

The channels are closed at their lower ends and are covered by a glass plate so that a ball cannot be touchedv while in a channel, and in order to prevent the balls from being rolled out of the" channels, as'by tilting the.

table, check valves are arranged in the several channels, these valves permitting the balls to roll down to the stop board, but preventing their return.

After a game has been played, the balls remain in the lower ends of the channels until they are released by the operation of a coincontrolled device. When this device is operated, after the insertion of a coin, a section m of the game board rocks downwardly and the balls drop into a pocket where they are trapped until the handle of said device is returned to its normal position and the tilt in g section of the game board is returned to its normal position. During these return move ments the balls are released from the trap and v pass into a chute or runway by which they are returned to the lower end of the game board" where they may be picked up and used to play on another game. The trap referred to, by reason'of its association with the tilting sect; on of the game board and the coin-controlled device, makes it impossible for a player to'play more than one game for each coin inserted in the machine. I

In the accompanying drawings 1 Fig. 1 is a top plan view ofthe ame table;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through thesame on thejline 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the'linc 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing some of the parts illustrated in Fig. 2 on a larger scale, and,

. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of part of the tilting section of the game board with the operating rod connected thereto.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the table as a whole, comprising a casing 1 of rectangular form supported on legs 2. Transverse strips 3, secured at their ends to the sides 1 of the casing, support the bottom 4-, and similar strips 5 support the top Z) which constitutes the board on which the game is played. This board is inclined from end to end of the table, and is set below the upper edge of the casing, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the balls will be retained on the board by the walls of the casing.

On the upper surface of the board, and about midway between itsends and sides, is arranged a group of parallel strips 0. extending longitudinally of the board and spaced apart to form channels (Z for receiving the balls, eleven of these channels being shown in. the drawings. The ch annelsare covered by a glass plate 6 so that the balls cannot be taken out of the channels by hand, andthe lower ends of the channels are clcsecl by a stop board 6 against which the balls rest when they reach the lower ends of the channels. At 7 a suitable distance upward of the channels from the stop board, a rod 7 extends transversely of the channels beneath the plate, and on this rod are loosely hinged a number of check valves 6, one in each channel, each inclined from the rod downwardly of the channel. V3 hen a ball rolls down a board floor.

' the handle.

. tending from the sides 1 of the casing to the groups of strips which form the channels. The ba ls are placed against the upper edge of either one of these strips and shot upwardly against the curved surface 9 which directs them over the open ends of the channels, and if the proper force and english are applied, they Will drop into the channels. The halls are numbered as in the game of pool and the channels are also numbered,

these latter numbers being conveniently placed upon the check valves, as shown in Fig. 1.

A section b of the game board which un derlies the low-er ends of the strips or ribs is connected by a hinge 10 to the under side of the main part of the board and is normally held in position flush with the main part by a counter weight arm 11, which is within the casing. In order to release the balls from the channels, by tilting the section I), it is necessary to insert a coin in a coin-operated device fand then turn a handle 12 thereon through an angle of 90. The coin-operated device is of standard make and need not be described. This device is arranged upon the lower end portion of the game board, as

shown. When the coin has been inserted, it operates as a connector to connect the handle 12 with the shaft 13 which extends into the casing and has a crank arm 1d from which projects a pin 15 which connects the arm with one .end of a link 16. The other end of the link is connected to one part 17 of a hinge 17, the other part of the hinge being fastened to the bottom of the section I) of the game When the knob or handle of the coin-controlled device is operated to move the link 16, the latter operates, as shown in Fig. 5, to press the part 1% of the hinge backward against the stop 18, fastened to the section Z), and then, by further movement, to tilt the floor section as indicated in dotted lines, thus releasing the balls from the channels. hen the handle 12 of the coin-controlled device is returned to normal position, the counter weight arm rocks the section I) to its normal position. A spring (not shown) coin-controlled device and the crank arm to normal positions when the operator releases The coins drop into a boX 19 in a compartment 20 which has a key-controlled door 21.

An inclined runway 22 is arranged below the tilting section of the game board, to receive the balls and conduct them to the end of the table at which the player stands; but the balls are not allowed to pass directly from the tilting section to the runway. Instead, they are trapped in a trough or pocket 9 which extends transversely of the table beneath the tilting section. This trough has a stationary bottom piece 23 and a piece 24 which is hinged to the opposite end of the trough and connected by a link 25 to the tilting section Z). When the section Z) is in normal position, the bottom piece 24 of the trough is raised as shown in full lines in Fig. 4t so that its free end is above the lower end of the bottom piece 23, leaving a space between the meeting ends of these bottom pieces through which the balls may pass to the runway 22; but when the section b is tilted, the bottom piece 24 is lowered to close the outlet of the trough, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4:. From this it will be evident that when the coin-controlled device is operated to tilt the section I) to release the balls from the channels, the outlet of the trough 9 will be closed and the balls will be trapped in said trough. When the coin-controlled device is released andthe tilting section b is returned to normal position, the lifting of the bottom section 24 will release the balls and allow them to pass out into the runway 22.

At the end of a game, the balls will be within the channels, resting against the stop board, as indicated in Fig. 1. In order to play another game, a coin must be inserted in the coin-operated device and the player then turns the handle of said device to rock the tilting section of the game board and permit the balls to roll into the trough 9 where they are trapped by the lowering of the bottom par-1:24 simultaneously with the movement of the tilting section. The player must return the handle of the coin-controlled device to normal position, or allow it to be returned by its spring, in order to open the trap and allow the balls to pass into the runway. When this is done, the tilting section of the board is returned to its normal position. The player then takes the balls from the runway and places them on the board against the strips 8, and, with a cue, shoots them into the channels where they become trapped by the check valves. The numbers 011 the check valves, in association with the numbers on the balls, determinethe score when the game is completed. The purpose of trapping the balls between the channels is provided for returning the handle of the and the runway or return chute is to prevent the possibility of playing more than one game by the insertion of a single coin in the coincontrolled device. If the balls went directly from the channels to the return chute, a player might, by turning thehandle of the coincontrolled device through 90, release the balls from the channels and hold said handle with one hand to keep the tilting section of the board depressed, and roll the balls with the other hand so that they would pass through the channels and directly into the return chute, from whence they could be removed and rolled over and over again. Of course the balls would not be retained on the game board, but by noting the channels through which they pass and the numbers on the balls, the game might be played in this way. By providing the trap, however, between the tilting section of the game board and the runway and causing the door of the trap to move with the tilting section of the board, it is impossible to play more than one game for each coin inserted in the coin-controlled device. The check valves in the chan nels prevent the balls from being rolled out of the channels by tilting the table and the glass plate over the channels prevents removal of the balls from the channels by hand.

What I claim is:

1. A game table adapted for playing games with rolled balls comprising an oblong game board having'a transversely extending curved shoulder at its upper end against which the balls be projected, a group of parallel ribs and intervening channels extending longitudinally of the board and spaced from one of its sides and from said shoulder, the lower ends of said channels being closed and the upper ends being open to receive the balls, check valves within the channels adapted to permit the balls to roll downwardly therein and to prevent their return, a transparent covering extending over said channels, and means for releasing the balls from the lower ends of the channels.

2. A game table adapted for playing games with rolled balls comprising an oblong game board having a transversely extending curved shoulder at its upper end against which the halls may be projected, a group of parallel ribs and intervening channels extending longitudinally of the board and spaced from one of its sides and from said shoulder, the lower ends of said channels being closed and the upper ends being open to receive the balls, check valves within the channels adapted to permit the balls to roll downwardly therein and to prevent their return, a transparent covering extending over said channels, said board having a movable part at the lower ends of the channels for releasing the balls,

and coin-controlled means for actuating said part to release the balls from the channels.

3. game table adapted for playing games with rolled balls comprising an oblong game board having a transversely extending curved shoulder at its upper end against which the balls may be projected, a group of parallel ribs and intervening channels extending longitudinally of the board and spaced from one of its sides and from saidshoulder, the lower ends of said channels beand means for releasing the balls from the trap'when said movable part is returned to its normal position.

4:. A game table adapted for playing games vith rolled balls comprising an oblong game board having a transversely extending curved shoulderat its upper end against which the balls may be pro ected, a group of parallel rules and intervening channels extending lon gitudinally of the board and spaced from one 'l t d ll'thl' 0.. MS sic es and. rem sai snot. t e1, i e owerendsol said channels being closed and the upper ends being open to receive the balls, checkvalves withinthe channels adapted to permit the balls to roll downwardly therein I and to prevent their return, a transparent covering extendingover said channels, said board having a movable part at. the lower ends oi the channels for releasing the balls, coin-controlled means for actuating said par to release the balls from the channels, means for trapping the balls whenthey are released fromwthe channels, vmeans for releasing the balls tr m the trap when saidmovable part is returned to its normal position, and a r turn chute below the trap for receiving the balls.

5. A game table adapted for playing games with rolled balls comprising an oblong game board having transversely extending curved shoulder its upper end against which the balls may be projected, a group of parallel ribs and intervening channels extending longitudinally of the board and spaced from both of its sides and from said shoulder, the lower ends of said channels being closed and the upper ends being open to receive the balls, numbered check valves within the channels adapted to permit the balls to roll downwardlytherein and to prevent their return, a transparent covering extending over said channels, and means tor releasingthe balls from the lower ends of the channels.

6. A game table adapted torplaying games with rolled balls comprisin an oblong game board having a transversely extending curved shoulder at its upper end against which the balls may be projected, a group of parallel ribs and intervening channels ex tending longitudinally of the board and spaced from one or its sides and from said shoulder, the lower ends of said channels being closed and the upper ends being open to receive the balls, check valves within the channels adapted to permit the balls to roll downwardly therein and to prevent their return, a covering extending over said channels, said. board having a part at the lower ends of the channels movable to release the balls a trap below said part, said trap having a door connected to said part and adapted to close when said part is moved to release the balls and to open when said part is returned to normal position.

7. A game table adapted for 5m in with rolled balls comprising an oblong game board having a transversely extending curved shoulder at its upper end against which the balls may be projected, a group of parallel ribs and intervening channels extending longitudinally of the board and saced from one of its sides and from said shoulder, the lower ends of said channels being closed and the upper ends being open to receive the balls, check valves within the channels adapted to permit the balls to roll downwardly therein and to prevent their return, a covering extending over said channels, said board having a hinged section at the lower ends of the channels for releasing the balls, coin-controlled means for tilting said section to release the balls from the channels, a trap below said section for trapping the balls when they are released from the channels said trap having a door connected with said section and adapted to close when said section is moved to release the balls and to open when said section is returned to normal position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LACY B. MCCORMICK. 

